The small gathering at Cottesloe beach was nothing compared with the 6,000 who turned up to a rally in early February. Photograph: Brendan Foster

Shark cull protesters gathered at a Perth beach on Wednesday to mark the last day of Western Australia's controversial catch-and-kill policy.

The small gathering at Cottesloe beach was nothing compared with the 6,000 who turned up to a rally in early February to protest against the Barnett government's shark cull. But the 30-plus protesters, many carrying signs and placards, let beachgoers enjoying a stunning autumn day know about their anger over the use of baited lines.

Sea Shepherd general manager Jeff Hansen, flanked by a number of environmental groups, the WA shadow environment minister, Chris Tallentire, and Tasmanian Greens MP Peter Whish-Wilson, said the cull had killed more than double the sharks it was claimed it would.

The 72 drumlines placed along metropolitan and southwest beaches on 26 January will have to be pulled up.

But the baited lines could be back in the water as early as November this year. An application by the WA government to continue the cull program for the next three years is currently being assessed by the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA).

Hansen said the WA Department of Fisheries’ own risk assessment claimed only 10-20 tiger sharks would be killed during the three-month drumline trial.

“Through our observers that have been out there every day, we have seen 161 tiger sharks caught,” he said. “54 have been killed or [were] dead on the line. And if you look at the state of the undersized ones that have been released, it is far greater than that.”

Hansen says the Barnett government has created nothing more than “hysteria” with its catch-and-kill policy.

He said not one great white shark was caught on the baited lines. The drumline policy was initiated after the recent fatal attacks by great whites.

“They are not lurking off our coast; they are not monsters off our beaches but these are animals that have lived in our oceans for 400m years,” Hansen said. “If sharks wanted to eat us, they would so every day.”

Chris Tallentire said the public didn’t feel any safer “having these meat curtains off our beaches”.

“This is chaotic, unscientific and highly expensive policy that makes no sense at all,” he said. "It’s a legacy of former fisheries minister Troy Buswell, and really should have died with his ministerial career.

“Thank goodness the drumlines are coming out today. But we don’t want to see them back.”